29 April 2004
Confirmation of Trust Open Day this Saturday

We are delighted to be hosting our final Open Day of this season in Ibrox Primary before this Saturday's game against Motherwell. The Council are restricting entry to 50 at a time, but as most members tend to only pop in for 10-20 minutes, and with it running from 11am through to 2-30pm, we don't see this as a problem. Further details of how to gain access can be found on the Ibrox Primary Access Guide, so why not drop in, meet some of the Trust Board, enrol a friend, renew your own Membership (if you haven't already done so) and share your concerns with us.

28 April 2004
New free-to-enter competition for Trust members to win the new Rangers book "The Advocaat Years"

‘The Advocaat Years’ by Ronnie Esplin and Alex Anderson is published next week by Argyll Publishing, and describes in great detail the highs and lows of this turbulent period in our great Club's history. We have three copies to give away in a special competition exclusive to current Trust members. The first three winning entries drawn out of the hat on Sunday 16 May will each receive a free copy of this great new book. To enter, e-mail your answer, together with your name and Trust Membership # to glenrosa@btopenworld.com before midnight on Saturday 15 May, and the winners will be published later this month on this page.

Among Rangers many glorious feats is the fact that we are the only British club EVER to go through a whole season in the League winning every game. The question is, "How many goals did we concede in the League that season?"

23 April 2004
Rangers Youth Development Ltd - a new dawn, or a disaster waiting to happen?

The Trust Board met last night, with the main item being discussed being this new initiative, much trumpeted by the Club, but one which has aroused much scepticism amongst many Rangers fans, and not just Trust Members. We are preparing a formal Media Release for issue over the next few days, once further facts are established, as we currently find this proposal (at best) confusing, and seek clarity. It does not appear to be a sustainable business model, nor is it a model we'd particularly like to see applied to our vital youth team/structure. This initial lack of enthusiasm (as opposed to the outright hostility we have seen from some other websites) should not be construed as any lack of confidence in George Adams, the Head of Youth Development, whose record stands up to any form of scrutiny, or criticism of the four investors who are undoubtedly well-meaning, and whose commitment to Rangers is also commendable.

22 April 2004
New Vice Chairman elected

We are pleased to announce that following John Gilligan's resignation, the Trust Board have unanimously elected David Tweed to be the new Vice Chairman. David is Vice Chairman of the Partick Loyal Rangers Supporters Club, one of the longest established and most reputable around, and as also been serving the Trust as NARSA Liaison Officer, where he is due to attend this year's Convention in Bramalea, along with Trust Board colleague, Gordon Sutherland. Meantime, we are also pleased that John Gilligan continues to serve as an ordinary Board Member . . . if there is such a thing!

22 April 2004
Special Offer for Trust members on new Rangers book "The Advocaat Years"

Derek Rodgers of Argyll Publishing has kindly offered to donate £1 to the Rangers Supporters Trust for every member who buys ‘The Advocaat Years’ by Ronnie Esplin and Alex Anderson directly from him by either email or phone. The book costs £9.99 and will be published at the beginning of May and copies can be ordered immediately (postage free in the UK and Europe). Derek will also provide three free copies for a free-to-enter competition for Trust Members, the details of which should be announced next week.

Phone: 01369 820229 to order or Email: argyll.publishing@virgin.net

19 April 2004
Next Trust Open Day should be Saturday 1st May in Ibrox Primary School

We had to wait until the post-split fixtures were announced, and as we only have one Saturday home game left this season, we intend holding our final Open Day of the season from 11am onwards before we play Motherwell on Saturday 1st May. We have applied to Glasgow City Council for our usual venue of Ibrox Primary School, as we have successfully held four previous Open Days there within the past year, and as it may be next week before we receive formal confirmation from them (our research has confirmed no prior bookings) we thought it best to announce our intentions to members and potential members as early as possible, in order to give everyone as much notice as possible. Among the Board Members on duty that day will be –

Derek McAvoy, Blue Spirit Editor
Simon Leslie, Blue Order Liaison Officer
Fraser Martin, ORSA Liaison Officer
Jane Gotts, co-opted to the Board on 6 April
Iain Galbraith, Membership Secretary

We shall post further details on this page once we receive our official confirmation from Glasgow City Council, which should be a formality, but meantime existing and potential members should note this date in their diaries, even if they just wish to pop in for a few minutes to discuss latest developments with a Board Member, enroll a friend, renew or whatever.

This will be our last Open Day before this summer’s AGM, the date for which has not yet been finalised.

14 April 2004
Want to play football for the RST?

Would you like to play football for the Trust? We are looking for football players to form a team. The first fixture will be in a tournament this summer against the Spurs Supporters Trust – the winners will receive the Walter Tull trophy. If interested please send contact us via the contact form – we need to know your name, age, position and any experience you have. As well as players we are keen to recruit an experienced manager! Please get in touch if you feel you have the qualities to manage the RST team!

10 April 2004
Membership Renewal Letter Delay

Please note, there has been a slight delay in RST membership renewal letters being sent out, but the first 500 are being sent out today, and it is hoped the rest will follow early next week.

Apologies for the delay.

Renewal Committee

06 April 2004
Trust Board Announces its First Two Changes to Membership

Due to increased demands in their professional lives, both Stevie Tyrie (one of the Trust’s founders) and Christine MacKechnie, have tendered their resignations with effect from 5 April, the end of the Trust’s first year.

The Trust Board thanks both very much for their valuable contribution, and hopes that they will be able to stand for election in future, as both have a lot to offer the Trust, and indeed both have indicated their willingness to assist us, as ordinary Members, in the meantime.

At the Trust Board Meeting held in Glasgow tonight, two new members were co-opted on to the Trust Board, Iain Galbraith and Jane Gotts. Both have been of great assistance to the Trust in its inaugural year, with Iain, in particular, giving up many man-hours in his role as Membership Secretary. Both Iain and Jane live in Glasgow, are season ticket holders, and were unanimously co-opted by the existing Board Members.

Whilst our rules demand that a majority of Trust Board Members are elected, rather than co-opted, this still leaves elected members in a majority of 13-7 on the Trust Board, so the next set of Elections still looks likely to be at our 2005 AGM. We hope to make an announcement regarding our 2004 AGM soon.

02 April 2004
Renewal News

Would all members please note that membership renewal forms will be posted out on Monday and Tuesday of this coming week (5th and 6th April).

Unfortunately, it won`t be possible to renew memberships online this year, although it is still possible to join this way.

Please return completed forms within fourteen days if possible.

Thanks to all.

RST Renewal Committee.